[FAQ]

Hi,

I’m the marketing lead for a community platform based in Portland, Oregon, and we use customer quotes in our emails all the time. They’ve been effective for a while, but I’m worried we’re overdoing it and they’re starting to lose their impact.

I’m looking for other ways to build trust and show that our community is active and growing. What other types of social proof can you effectively use in an email, beyond just featuring a standard testimonial? I’m thinking about things that can be shown with numbers, images, or different text callouts. Any practical examples of how to integrate this into an email design would be a huge help.

Thanks!

[Jeff Bullas]

That’s a smart question to be asking.

Short Answer: Beyond testimonials, you can use social proof in an email by showcasing quantitative data, displaying logos of well-known customers, and featuring user-generated images. These methods provide powerful, visual, and data-driven evidence of your brand’s credibility.

The key is to move from stated proof to demonstrated proof, using different content formats to make your case.

Instead of relying solely on a single customer quote, you can use text to highlight powerful metrics that tell a story of collective approval. For example, a simple text callout in your email that says “Join over 10,000 happy customers” or “Rated 4.8/5 stars by 500+ users” provides concrete, data-driven social proof that is often more persuasive than a subjective opinion. This approach is particularly effective for demonstrating momentum and widespread adoption.

You can also make a powerful statement with images. For a B2B audience, one of the most effective forms of social proof is a “logo wall” featuring the images of your most recognisable clients. Placing a clean row of these logos in your email provides an instant credibility boost. Similarly, incorporating images of any awards you’ve won or security badges you’re entitled to display can visually communicate trustworthiness. For a B2C brand, a section in your email dedicated to user-generated images of real customers using your product is an incredibly authentic and effective way to show, not just tell, that your product is loved.

Cheers, Jeff

[Author]

Posts